Reel for extensible antennas



Dec. 16, 1952 R. J. NAGEL I 2,621,863

REEL FOR EXTENSIBLE ANTENNAS Filed July 15, 194e 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 #fea 70 72 64 66 34 3268 E A mmmllljmlm Robert J. Nagel 1N: 'EN TOR.

BY @Mmm www 15M@ Dec. R6, 1952 R, J. NAGEL REEL FOR EXTENSIBLE ANTENNAS Filed July i5, 194s 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 126, 1952 UNIT-Eo PATIENT 'Robert J.-Y Nagel., Lake Placid, Fla., assigner -f one-half to Richard Archbold, Lake Placid, Fla.

App1ieititnfni1y-1is, masa-'iai No. 'sassi claims. (01.242454) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements inlexte'nsible antennae for vehiclesvsuch Eas automobiles, trucks and 'thelike, and'the'principal'object of the invention is to facilitate extensionan'd retraction of such antennae by remote control,` that is, from the drivers seat, without the 'necessity of the driver leaving hisse'at for the purpose of extending or retracting the'antenna unit.

This object is achieved by the provision ia control whereina flexible shaft, connected to one of the antenna sections, is windable upon `a spirally grooved disc driven by'a reversible electric motor, so that by rotating the disc' i-n one direction -r the other, the vantenna maybe-re tracted or extended, as desired.

An important feature of the invention resides in the p-rovisionof limit switches, which,- responding'to the movement of the antenna, are' effectively employed for stopping the actuating motor when the antenna is fully retracted or extended.

An important advantage ofthe invention lies in its simplicity of construction, -convehiencein operation, and in its adaptability to `vehicles" of various sizes and types.

With the above more importantobjects and features in view, and such other L'objectsand features as may become apparentas thisspecification proceeds,` the invention'consists"essentially of the arrangement and cohstruction'o'f-parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings," in which: n Y

Figu're 1 is an elevational view lof -the invention;

Figure 2l is a furtherelevational view, taken substantially in thedi'rec'tion of the' arrow 2 in FigureV 1; y Y

Figure 3 is a vcross sectional view; taken lsubstantially in the plane of the line 3-'3in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, "takenfsuh stantially in the plane ofthe line 4-74 infFgure-LZ Figure 5 is a fragmentary 'perspective vrView showing the mounting ofthe antenna;

Figure 6 is across sectionall view,`ftaken`s'ub stantially in the plane of the line 6' in'lFig-iire 1;

Figure 'lis a cross sectional View kensubstantially in the plane'of the line l1-15in Figure `1;

Figure 8 yis a cross sectional view; t'alren '-s'ubstantially in the'planerof the line 8L Fg'i're 2;

Figure 9V is a-frag'mentary cross'sectio'nal view of a tubular lguide landshaft-u`se 'i""in the Vinvention;

Figure a 4perspective' view 'of' atraveller used therein; and;

Figure -114 is a wiring-diagram fof-theleiec'tnca1- components of the invention.

Like characters of'referencefareemployed to designate like parts vin y the `specification and throughout the several' views.

Referring now tov the accompanying drawings in detail, the general reference character .d20 designates an extensible vehicle antenna of lmoreor-'lessI conventional type, Athe same embodying in its constructionY a plurality of telescopedf,nslidable sections, 22, 24, 26, as will be clearlyapparent.

The uppermost section 22` terminates ina tip 28, and it is to be understood that the telescoped portions of the sections are providedwithslidable bushings 3i) `(see Figuresy 6 and 7'), whereby the entire antenna is prevented from undue bending or flexing at the connection of the sections.

The essence of noveltyin the invention resides in the provision of an extending and retracting mechanism or control for the antenna 20, this being designated by l the general reference character 32 and including in its constructionza substantially circular housing 34 provided with a removable cover 38 which is attached thereto by suitable screws 38, this cover preferably being disposed at one side of 'the housing, vwhile'thevremaining side of the housing isfformed with a `reinforcing rib e which extends beyond theperiphery of the housing and terminates Ain asplit clamp 42 in which the lower portion of thelowermost antenna section 26 `may kbe firmly. 'and securely clamped by means of suitable clamping screws 44, and will be `clearly.apparentI It is to be noted that the yarrangement'of Vthe rib 40 and clamp 42 is such that the ilon'gitudinal axis of the antenna Zllfis disposed 'obliquelyf with respect to the `plane -inwhich the housing 34Jis disposed, and it will be also Observedthat the lower end of the antenna section 26 vis provided with an insert 4B 'formed with a substantially truste-conical bore-48. (See Figure 6.)

The insert 136Y is'secured -in position by asuit'- able set screw 56,and'a clamp i52 is alsotm'ounted on the lower end ofthe antennasectionf'by means of a Clampingscrew 51k; -substantiallyas shown.

The configuration oi- #the clamp l'52 will 'ber clearly apparent fromf the accompanying drawings, and a similarclampiis swingably-con nected to the clamp 52- asat 353; asi's'bes'tl shown in Figure 5.

The clamp 56 is secured' in position by means of a clamping screw-S-on the upper-endportion of a tubular guide 6,2, the purposeofwliichwill. be hereinafter more fully described.

A shaft 64 is rotatably'mounted1in'v the housing 34v by means 'ofvsuitable anti-frctionV bearings.

66 (see Figures 3 and 4), and a disc 68, disposed in the housing 34, is secured to the shaft 64, substantially as shown.

The disc 68 is provided on one side thereof with a continuous, spiral groove 10, and a flexible element, such as a shaft 12, is windable in this groove. One end, that is, the inner end of this shaft is secured in the groove adjacent the shaft 64 as indicated at 14 (see Figure 3), and the shaft 12 after leaving the groove 10, passes through the aforementioned tubular guide 62 and through the substantially frusto-conical passage 48 of the insert 46, and extends upwardly through the various sections of the antenna 20, whereupon its outer end portion is rigidly secured to the antenna tip 28. The aforementioned cover 36 of the housing 34 may be fabricated from several, separately removable sections, or alternatively, the cover may be provided with a suitable opening 16, whereby the lower portion of the guide 62 may enter the housing for the purpose of receiving the shaft 12. Moreover, the lower end of the guide 62 is formed with a laterally projecting detent 19, which is intended to ride in the groove 10 when the disc 68 is rotated. It is to be also noted that the upper and lower edges of the opening 16 in the cover 36 are complementarily bevelled as shown by the phantom lines in Figure 1, so that they are disposed in substantially parallel planes to the longitudinal axis of the antenna 20, as will be clearly apparent. In this manner, the entry of the guide 62 into the housing 34 is facilitated, without the guide being obstructed by the edges of the opening 16 in the cover.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that rotation of the disc 68 in one direction or the other will wind or unwind the shaft 12, thereby extending or retracting the antenna 26. Moreover the guide 62, together with the detent 13 engaging the groove 10, will assure that undue binding or twisting of the shaft does not occur between the time it leaves the groove 10 and enters the insert 46, and vice versa, as will be clearly understood. If desired, suitable compression springs 18, 60 may be provided within the antenna 20 between its adjacent sections 22, 24, and 24, 26, so as to normally urge the antenna to its extended position and thereby assist in overcoming the effect of gravity when the antenna is being extended 4by rotation of the disc 68.

Rotation of the disc 68 is effected in the following manner:

A worm gear 82 is secured to the aforementioned shaft 64 and meshes with a worm 84, the latter being provided upon a further shaft 80 which is journalled in suitable bearings 88, 90, 92, secured to the aforementioned cover 36. A reversible electric motor 94, provided with a right angled gear reduction drive 96, is mounted upon the cover 36 by means of a suitable bracket 98, the motor 94 being operatively connected to the shaft 86 through the medium of the drive 96, as will be clearly apparent.

The shaft 86 is also provided with a diametrically reduced, screw threaded portion |00 which is disposed between the bearings 88, 90 as shown in Figure 2, and a traveller |02, provided with an internally screw threaded boss |04, is longitudinally shiftable on the shaft portion |00, as will be clearly apparent. The traveller |02 is selectively engageable at the opposite ends of its travel with normally open limit switches |06 and |08 provided in the bearings 88, 90, so that asv the shaft portion |00 is rotated in one direction or the other by means of the motor 94, the antenna 20 is extended or retracted as has been already described, and at the same time, the traveller |02 cornes in contact with one of the switches |06, |08 when the antenna reaches its fully extended or retracted position. That switch, being opened by the traveller |02, opens the electric circuit to the motor 94, and thereby prevents further extension or retraction of the antenna.

A suitable double pole, three-position switch ||0 is in series circuit with the motor 94 and the limit switches |06, |08, the latter, in turn, being electrically connected to a storage battery |2 of the vehicle on which the invention is used. Accordingly, matters are so arranged that by moving the switch l0 in one direction or the other, the reversible motor 94 may be energized so as to extend or retract the antenna, as will be clearly apparent.

Finally, it is to be noted that the pivoted connection 58 of the guide 62 will effectively permit the guide to follow the continuous, spiral groove 10 in the disc 63 while the shaft 12 is being wound or unwound.

If desired, spaced parallel guide rods |l4 may extend between the bearings 88, 90, passing slidably through suitable apertures ||6 formed in the traveller |02, whereby movement of the traveller will be effectively guided and rotation thereof with respect to the shaft portion |00 prevented.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. l

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In association with an extensible antenna, an extending and retracting mechanism comprising a disc-shaped housing mounted obliquely adjacent one end of said antenna and having a side provided with an opening, a disc rotatable in said housing and formed in one side thereof with a continuous spiral groove, a tubular guide pivoted at one end thereof to said antenna and having a free end portion extending in said housing through said opening, a detent provided at the free end portion of said guide and engaging said groove, a flexible element having one end thereof anchored to said disc and its remaining end secured to said antenna, said element passing through said guide and being windable in said groove, means for rotating said disc, said means including a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said disc.

2. In association with an extensible antenna, an extending and retracting mechanism comprising a disc-shaped housing mounted obliquely adjacent one end of said antenna and having a side provided with an opening, a disc rotatable in said housing and formed in one side thereof with a continuous spiral groove, a tubular guide pivoted at one end thereof to said antenna, and having a free end portion extending in said housing through said opening, a detent provided at the free end portion of said guide and engaging said groove, a exible element having one end thereof anchored to said disc and its remaining end secured to said antenna, said element passing through said guide and being windable in said groove, means for rotating said disc, and stop means for limiting the extent of rotation of said disc.

3. In association with an extensible antenna, an extending and retracting mechanism comprising a disc-shaped housing mounted obliquely adjacent one end of said antenna and having a side provided with an opening, a disc rotatable in said housing and formed in one side thereof with a continuous spiral groove, a tubular guide pivoted at one end thereof to said antenna and having a free end portion extending in said housing through said opening, a detent provided at the free end portion of said guide and engaging said groove, a exible element having one end thereof anchored to said disc and its remaining end secured to said antenna, said element passing through said guide and being windable in said groove, means for rotating said disc, a driven shaft rotatable in said housing and carrying said disc, said means comprising a reversible electric motor, a drive shaft operatively connecting said motor to said driven shaft, said drive shaft including a screw-threaded portion, and a pair of spaced limit switches in circuit with said motor, a traveler threadedly mounted on said drive shaft whereby said switches may be opened for deactuating said motor, and said switches being operatively engageable by said traveler.

ROBERT J. NAGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

